Start with a very high cage containing five apes.
>
>In the ceiling of the cage, hang a banana on a string and put stairs under
>it.
>
>Before long, an ape will go to the stairs and start to climb towards the
>banana. As soon as he touches the stairs, spray all of the apes with cold
>water. After a while, another ape makes an attempt with the same result -
>all the apes are sprayed with cold water. This continues through several
>more attempts.
>
>Pretty soon, when another ape tries to climb the stairs, the other apes all
>try to prevent it.
>
>Now, turn off the cold water. Remove one ape from the cage and replace it
>with a new one.
>
>The new ape sees the banana and wants to climb the stairs. To his horror,
>all of the other apes attack him. After another attempt and attack, he
>knows
>that if he tries to climb the stairs, he will be assaulted.
>
>Next, remove another of the original five apes and replace it with a new
>one.
>
>Again, the newcomer goes to the stairs and is attacked. The previous
>newcomer takes part in the punishment with enthusiasm. Again, replace a
>third original ape with a new one. The new one makes it to the stairs and
>is attacked as well. Two of the four apes that beat him have no idea why
>they were not permitted to climb the stairs, nor why they are participating
>in the beating of the newest ape.
>
>After replacing the fourth and fifth original apes, all the apes which had
>been sprayed with cold water, have been replaced. Nevertheless, no ape
>ever
>again approaches the stairs.
>
>Why not?... Because that's the way they've always done it and that's the
>way
>it's always been.
>
>That's how company policy begins... Frightening analogy, isn't it?
"Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious" |
